Support
by hoarfrosted
Summary: Interactions. Arc and Refia share a moment over their background positions on the battlefield.


Refia sat at the lake's edge in her civilian garments, sloshing the cool water around her bare feet irately, scowling at the ripples as if _they_ were the source of her anger. Before long, Arc came to join her, setting down his book and settling down next to her. She acknowledged him with a small smile before redoubling her efforts to stomp the water, to no avail.

"Um, you left the ship in kind of a hurry…," Arc started uncertainly, picking at the covering of his book. "Is everything alright?" The meek boy was afraid of inciting her rage with his prying, but he was more afraid of leaving her malcontent feelings to stew around her mind. It wasn't often that Refia let out her fury, but when she did, it was as frightening as an enraged vulcan dragon.

The redheaded girl let out a frustrated sigh, kicking another wave of water, a fearful Arc gearing up to flee immediately. "I'm so sick of those two squire boys leaving me with the background healing duties! I mean, I'm an apprentice blacksmith for Odin's sake!" she crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at her reflection in the lake's surface.

"But…you always run away from your teachings, don't you?" Arc offered helpfully. He regretted his mouth immediately when Refia turned flaming eyes on him, her cheeks flushed with mortification. Arc squeaked and dropped his gaze to his book, wondering if he could get away quicker by swimming, then remembered that he never learned how to swim.

"I still know my way around a blade," she pouted, folding a leg so her head rested on her knee. "I'm just as skilled as both of them." Despite her frequent attempts to avoid responsibility, she _did_ know the workings of a blade. However, she was much more interested in wielding them than crafting them. Takka's droning lessons on the history of hearths didn't exactly tickle her fancy either.

"They've never expressly demanded that you stay behind and support, have they?" Arc asked, knowing for a fact that he had never requested such a thing. He was in the same position as Refia, though his situation was completely voluntary; he had absolutely no desire to be directly in the fray.

"No, of course not," answered Refia much more sedately. "I know they mean well, but they don't really leave _me_ much of an option. They go running off into battle, trying to prove which one of them is manlier–as if," she scoffed, rolling bright red eyes, "and you're busy providing elemental offensives, which they desperately need."

The brunet boy bit his lip in thought. "Well, you don't _have_ to stay behind and heal us. We could always try being a full offensive force," he nodded, sure of his own suggestion. "I'm sure if we plan well enough, everything will go smoothly."

She fixed him with an incredulous gaze. "Knowing Luneth as well as you do, you actually believe he'd be able to stay alive?"

At that, Arc rethought the proposition; positive it wouldn't be successful at all. As much as he believed and looked up to his best friend, Luneth wasn't exactly renowned for his foresight. The silver-haired boy preferred to test his luck and rush head on into any obstacle. It was one of the many things Arc admired about him.

Refia smirked at him, knowing what his general thought process was. "Exactly. I enjoy wielding a blade well enough, but I enjoy having you all alive a lot more," her smile softened a bit and her gaze locked on her reflection. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to any of you."

Arc found himself grinning at her, despite the morbidity of her humor. It made his heart swell with joy being reminded that he had people who not only cared for him, but considered him anything but a pipsqueak or a coward. He still _felt_ like a pipsqueak and a coward sometimes, being around people a million times more courageous than he, but it was never from anything more than his own insecurities.

"I have an idea." Refia regarded him curiously, urging him to continue. "What if I took over the healing duties so you could join the front line?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, almost glittering with excitement at the prospect. "Really? You wouldn't mind?"

Arc nodded happily, flashing a toothy grin. "Of course I wouldn't mind. It'd give me a chance to learn more magic spells…um," he scratched at a freckle on his cheek, "as well as keep me away from all of the heavy duty."

Refia took no notice of his cowardice, only enveloped the smaller boy in a tight hug, squealing out a few words of gratitude. Arc, heavily embarrassed, murmured something unintelligible, redness lighting up his spotted cheeks. With new purpose, the redhead stood and smoothed out her dress, slipping into her boots before beginning to head off.

"Where are you going?" Arc questioned, standing up with his book and dusting off his coat.

Refia turned to him with a _far-too-innocent_ visage, clasping her hands behind her demurely. The brunet boy was instantly wary of her, subtly holding his book in front of him for protection. "I need to borrow some money from Luneth and Ingus for some new gear."

Arc furrowed his brow in confusion. "But they're both training in the forest," he pointed toward the dense brush in the direction opposite Refia's intended path, "that way."

Instead of correcting herself, she brought her index finger to her lips, urging that Arc be silent. "I know where _they_ are, but there gil pouches are on the Enterprise," she grinned deviously. "You didn't know anything about this though, _right_?" she began backing away covertly.

"Didn't know anything about what?" the brunet boy replied innocently while opening his book to a random page, feigning complete immersion in the text. He heard Refia giggle and saw her scamper off from his peripheral vision and a small grin broke out on his face.

He figured that Luneth and Ingus wouldn't mind the missing gil once they saw the brilliant, elated smile Refia was sporting.


End file.
